Curtain-fixture



(No Model.)

W. G. KANTNER CURTAIN FIXTURE.

No. 357,714. Patented Feb. 15,1887.

MQ/QCHM N. PETERS. Phulo-Lilhognpher, Waihinglnm D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WASHINGTON O. KANTNER, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURTAIN- FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,714, dated February15, 1887.

Application filed May 26, 1886. Serial No. 203,281. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WASHINGTON O. KANT- NER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city of Reading, county of Berks, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCurtain-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement is more particularly related to that class ofwindow-curtains which are attached to a roller of the Hartshorn type andsecured to oscillating arms, so that the curtain may be raised orlowered in the ordinary manner, orit may be thrown away from thewindow-sash or dropped in a vertical position, leaving the top of thewindow clear of obstruction and permitting the lowering of the uppersash for purposes of ventilation.

The object of the improvement is to secure privacy, ventilation, readyadjustment, and the placing of the curtain beyond the effect of theair-currents over the top of the sash when dropped vertically to thefull radius of the oscillating arms.

The nature and extent of my invention will be found fully disclosed inthe drawings and specification.

Figure 1 represents, in perspective elevation, a window provided with myimprovement, showing the curtain-roller in its normal position at thetop of the window-case. Fig. 2 represents the same window with thewindow-curtain partially swung out from the window-sash, in both ofwhich a single cord attached to one of the bracket-arms running over aroller at the top of the case serves to retain the suspendingfixture inplace. Fig. 3 represents, in full elevation, a wide storewindow, andillustrates an arrangement of double cords and pulleys for manipulatingthe suspensionfixture and curtain; Fig. 4, detail front and sideelevations of the oscillating bracket-arms; Fig. 5, an elevation of thepreferable style of roller used for narrow windowcurtains; Fig. 6, anelevation of the bracketarms, adjustable bar, and curtain-rollerdetached from the window-casing, in all of which- N A represents thewindow-case; B, the sash; G, the friction bracketarm; O, thefrictionbox; 6*, the bar-head; G set-screw; O", pivotal screw end D, theretaining bracket-arm;

D, the retainer-hole; D bar-head; D setscrew; D, pivotal screw end; E,an adjustable-to-width connecting-bar fitted to snugly move in the heads0 D"; F, the usual curtainroller; G, curtain; G, rings to curtain-stick;H, cord-roller for narrow curtains; I, singlecord sheaves for widecurtains; I, double-cord sheave for the same; J, operating-cord; J, ringfor double cords; J adjusting-cord; K, lock for cord.

The curtain-roller turns in bearings provided in the brackets O D. Thesebracketarms are pivoted upon the inside face of the window-casing, withthe pivot end close to the sash-bead. This mode of pivoting throws thecurtain-roller outward, so as to overhang the pivot, and on releasingthe cord J from the lock K the action of gravity alone will drop thecurtain with its roller from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that ofFig. 3; or, if desired, the curtain may be held at any intermediatepoint between the two extremes by securing the cord J 2 at the desiredlimit.

I prefer to make the bracket-arms G D with heads (1 D boring the same tofit snugly to a wire of steel or iron of the proper diameter, adapted toform a rigid connection between the brackets across the width of windowsto which the same is applied. Set-screws G D serve to retain the bar inits proper relative relation thereto.

The objection to all prior oscillating-arm curtain-fixtures was thatthere could be no adjustment to adapt them to the various widthsof'windows to which it was desired to apply the same. They could notheretofore, on this account, be manufactured as a commercial article forgeneral sales, but were ordered specially for each application. Thismade them expensive and troublesome to the curtainhanger and discouragedthe use of the same. The desirability of securing top ventilation by thewindow without having the privacy of the chamber exposed was generallyadmitted. At the same time in all prior attempts to secure the samethere was during high winds a constant tendency for the same to catchthe curtain as it hung at some distance from the sash and create anannoying flutter of the same, and to partially expose the interior ofthe chamber.

ICO

In my improved mode of operating the curtain-fixture all theseobjectionable features are overcome and the fixture becomes a regulararticle of manufacture, sold, as the generality of household goods aresold, ready for immediate use. The brackets are pivoted in place and thebar passed through one bracket-head until the other is entered andstopped flush with its outer face. The bar is marked on the enteringside flush with the outer face of the head, and is then nicked with afile and broken off, returned to place, and the setscrews D screwed downupon the same.

7 The pivot of one bracket is now loosened and the usual Hartshorn typeof curtain'- roller inserted in the bearings OD. The bracket is againswung into place and the pivot-screw reinserted, when the same issecurely retained in position until properly released. Forordinary-width curtains the cord J is attached to one side bracket only,as the fixture, when the set-screws are tightened, is as stiff as if itwere one integral casting; but for wide and heavy curtains I attach acord to the bracket upon each side of the window, in the latter caseusing the single sheave I at one side and a double or wide sheave, I, onthe drawing side, connecting the double cords to a ring, J, below thedouble sheave I, a single cord, J, secured to the same ring, passingdown to the usual lock, K, to hold the curtain in any desired position.In the former case I prefer to use a roller, H, as shown in Fig. 5.

I make no claim to a bracketed curtain-fixture per 80, as such curtainswere patented as early as December 29, 1868, by A. S. Dickenson, inwhich the cross-bar, its pivoted arms, and roller-supports were in oneintegral piece, and could not, therefore, be furnished as an article ofmanu facture to be kept in stock, but had necessarily to be ordered foreach width of window-sash to which it was to be applied. See, also,patent to J. Haux, July 1, 1884, No. 301,120, for a mode of securingadjustable bracket-hangers for roller-curtains to window-frames, inwhich the hanger-supports are fixtures in the window-frames. Theholding-arms are adapted to receive one or more cross-bars, one for thesupport of the curtain-roller hangers, the other for an independentcurtain. The rOller-hangers are adjustable as to width between the sameby sliding upon said bar, and are secured in place by set-screws when soadjusted, and are also fix-- tures when thus secured, and do not, as inmy 5 cial success by providing, as described, for

their adaptation to all widths of windows in a simple, sure, andinexpensive manner.

I do not confine myself to the special form of bracket-arms shown, butclaim any equivalent mode of securing adjustments of width 6 in a stableand suitable manner adapted to support a curtain and permit the raisingand lowering of the same within certain limits by oscillating armsindependent of the curtain itself, as shown and described.

Having shown my improvement, recited its good points, and theconstruction of the same, I desire to claim as follows:

1. As an improvement in curtain-fixtures using oscillating arms for thesupport of the same, the bracket-arms O D, having pivotal points C D,bearings O D, and perforated heads 0 D with set-screws 0 D said bearingsadapted to receive spring curtain-rollers F, and said heads adapted toreceive and ad- 8 justably hold within the same the width-connecting barE,in combination with the windowcasing, substantially as shown anddescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, witha window-case, of 8 the bracket-arms having thepivots at their lower ends and provided with perforated heads, the barE, adjustably secured in said heads, a roller, F, journaled in thebracketarms, a curtain secured to said roller, the pul- 9 leysI I,secured to the window-case, the cords J J, ring J, cord J and lock K, asset forth.

3. In combination with a window-casing, a curtain-fixture having pivotedoscillating arms 0 D, with bearings O D, heads 0 D 9 and set-screws 0 Da width-adjusting bar, E, roller F, and curtain G, as shown anddescribed, the cords J J, secured to the heads G D and led-over pulleysII, a ring, J, cord J", and lock K, whereby the said curtain-fixturesare operated to swing upon the pivots O D, or to be raised or lowered,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

\VASHINGTON O. KANTNER.

Vitnesses:

J AMES R. KENNEY, A. SMITH DAUTRIOK.

